Every night at bedtime, my kids will gather around me for a bedtime story. After I read to them, we will talk and pray together. My eldest, C-Bear already knows how to make prayer suggestions and requests. I will ask her what her prayer request(s) will be and she will happily give me a rundown. Her brothers, upon hearing her, will also do the same. As a parent, it is a joy for me to hear them gleefully exchange prayer requests amongst each other. It warms my heart to know that my children desire to talk to Jesus on a daily basis.
Setting a prayer time with your kids at night time (or any time of the day, depending on your family's schedule) gives us parents the chance to spend more quality time with them. By spending time in prayer with them our kids learn how to share their thoughts with us; their joys and even their greatest fears and worries at that moment.
My daughter would often share her nightmares to me during our prayer time-- whenever she had one--and I, in turn, would comfort her every time she does. I also learn more about her day because she would just spill every detail to me. It goes the same with her younger brothers. After all, they just copy their "Ate" all the time. We share a bucket full of laughs and sometimes tears at night time because of their never-ending stories. Aside from this, I also observed that my children are growing to have a deeper faith and relationship with God. They not only have a knowledge of God, they know Him intimately and confidently talks to Him like the way they talk to their daddy. They also learned to trust God with their personal issues. As a result of this trust, my children sleep stress-free at night because they have learned to turn over their worries to God.
Praying with our children draw us closer to them. The many talks we will be having with them and the pieces of advice that we will be imparting to them before our prayer time will also make them wiser. Wiser in making decisions and living life because they have learned to seek God fully and have desired to know His heart at very young age.
Jesus said in Luke 18:16-17, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly I tell you, anyone, who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." God also promised security those who truthfully trust in HIM in Psalm 91 (http://biblehub.com/nasb/psalms/91.htm).
Let our children seek Jesus while they are still young, before the world tells them otherwise.
"God our Father, God our Father
Once again, once again.
We bow our heads and thank You
Bow our heads and thank You
Amen, Amen.
I would lay me down to sleep
And pray the Lord my soul to keep.
And though I never saw Him there,
I believe He heard each prayer.
For God is great,
And God is good.
And I knew if I spoke the words,
He would be listening." -Still Listening by Steven Curtis Chapman
This is my second son, Quinn when he was 2 months old. My husband and I made this layout for his Dedication Day's giveaway. ♥
